


Mr. Jaeger

by K_Lionheart



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, 進撃の巨人 | Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan (Movies)
Genre: F/M, pride and prejudice au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:00:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25987081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_Lionheart/pseuds/K_Lionheart
Summary: Pride and Prejudice AU.They keep seeing one another over the mass of a crowded ballroom. In the quaint life of day to day living, attraction has never felt more electric.
Relationships: Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Levi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





	Mr. Jaeger

It's Frieda who coaxes her to stand up from her wedged spot on the bench in the overcrowded ballroom and join the rabble in festive dance. The violins and cellos brightly play a delighted melody, upheld by encouraging harmonies that bounce along to the rhythm of the cheering and whooping townspeople. 

It's too easy to be swept along by the pushing tides of bodies and spinning dresses and hair. Despite the earlier nerves teasing her stomach to find a secluded spot and spend the night gossiping with Mina Carolina, Historia finds herself taken by the enthusiasm of the dance and the spinning hands that guide her in place.

Frieda is laughing at her side while Historia's impromptu partner, a familiar stranger with bushy eyebrows and kind eyes, smiles widely and reaches for her hands. She needs only a spirited nudge before her body surges forward and takes the offered guidance.

The air is hot in her mouth, body thrumming with heat and sweat in just so short a time. There is the sweet scent of diluted wines and fresh water mingling over the ballroom's old wood, the resin of the bows slicing ecstatic notes from catgut string... it's easy to forget the tang and almost bitter aftertaste of sweat that hovers over the air and makes it feel thicker with life.

At some point after the dancing has commenced does Historia note that Mr. Flegel had ordered the manservants to open the windows and let in the fresh air of the cool evening, but there is no breeze and so the effort has brought poor results. 

Even so, for a spirited moment, Historia spins and leaps forward, feet following the age old steps that surround her, palms touching damper palms until she's back in the line beside her sister and the tune comes to a wholesome end.

The crowd sighs and cheers, hands clapping to commend the dance and before Historia can think to thank her partner, who she now recognizes as Mr. Markl from under the large hat, she feels Frieda wrap an arm around her elbow and yank her out of the line before they were swept into another dance.

Mina Carolina waits for them beside Juno Mooney who disappears into the crowd before Historia can give her a proper look. Mina grins at her and Historia heaves.

"How you look like you're barely glistening while I'm drowning on this very air is truly some work of ancient divine affections," Mina laughs as Historia takes a grateful seat beside her.

"Indeed!" Frieda shuffles close to Historia's opposite side just as a new song comes blaring from the top of the hall, violins and cellos starting a new cheery tune. "If half the men in this ballroom do not end up in love with you then I am no judge of beauty."

Historia's nose wrinkles, "Nor men!"

Mina laughs again, her voice twinkling beside her ear, "No, they are far too easy to judge!"

"And what of the other half," Frieda asks, as Historia surveys the room. "Shall the rest fall for me, dearest, or to our other lovely sister?"

"If Mikasa proves incapable of removing herself from the book she brought then I'd say your chances are earnest to succeed," Mina responds to which Frieda gasps in mock outrage.

"You taunt me, Mina! To ever suppose Mikasa capable of removing her nose from a tome!" 

They laugh before Frieda yelps and Historia stifles another giggle as the sister in question appears in Frieda's other half.

"We've caught a devil!" Mina exclaims.

"Oh, hush," Mikasa scolds but there is a light look to her eyes that betrays her playful mood. Historia beams at the sight, happy to see her half-sister caught up in the energy of the room as much as the rest of them. "I've only come here to alert you that mother is coming this way now."

"Oh, again?" Frieda huffs, shaking her head. "If she brings up the Fabulous Mr. Jaeger again and how we must be ready to be presented at any given moment, I might lay down on the floor and accept death."

"So macabre," Historia snorts, fanning her hand over her face for need of fresher air. "Surely she must know we cannot be more prepared than the last time she demanded it of us."

"You forget who our mother is, Hissy," Frieda groans and sure enough their eyes catch the oncoming dread that is the bobbing feather of their mother's head-piece. "Lord bring us strength and resolve against the temptation to taste the sweet fruit of death."

"Amen," Mikasa says just as their mother reached them.

"Mikasa!" Manami Reiss exclaims, waving her white lace fan to the girls. "I haven't seen you dancing yet, when on Earth are you going to suppose it is time to find a husband?"

"I suppose when I am asked to dance, mother."

Their mother sighs before waving her fan again, mouth parting to, no doubt, splash them with yet another arduous tirade of the importance of finding a suitor when--blessedly--the dancing abruptly stops and the music dies down in confusion.

Historia exchanges glances with Frieda before Mina makes a soft sound of surprise among the murmuring crowd.

"They're here!"

Mina is staring at the entrance of the dance hall and the sisters follow the line of sight. There are three individuals standing at the main doors where the crowd has parted like the seas to grant them passage. Historia barely manages to see them well enough, straining on her toes to be able to catch a glimpse of the ones who've brought such silence to an otherwise deafening place.

"So which of our painted peacocks is Mr. Jaeger?" Frieda asks quietly to Mina, at least making some effort to help Historia gain better footing.

"He's on the right and on the left is his sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law?" Frieda asks with a dash of scandalized curiosity.

"Her husband, Mr. Jaeger's step-brother, is indisposed with illness," Mina supplies quickly. "I hear she is the one who handles a manner of social responsibility for the both of them."

"A pleasant duty, I'm sure," Frieda mumbles drolly, and Historia would share in Mina's hushed snort of amusement if she knew what they meant by it. Instead she tries to tug herself up to the tips of her feet, anchoring herself to her taller sister just to see over the waves of heads, hats, and feathers.

"Well, at least he's tall," Frieda says, doing nothing to help her struggling sister.

"Is he at least handsome?" Historia asks, frustrated at her lack of height. Frieda shushes her, earning her a very irritated sidelong glance. There is motion now and Historia is relieved to notice she's able to pick out more definite details among the swaying waves of hats and styled up-do's.

"And what of the person with the quizzical brow?"

"That is Mr. Jaeger's friend and mentor, Mr. Levi."

"He looks miserable poor soul!" Frieda says, biting back a snicker. 

"Miserable he may be, but poor he most certainly is not."

"Tell me."

Historia huffs at the gossip, distracted while Mina relays the vast amounts of the fortune the newcomers lived off of and she has almost a moment where she shoots something witty and sassy to get them to clam up. Only she isn't able to.

The crowd shifts, the people move and breathe and push away, making space for the newcomers to pass the floor. In that blessed moment, Historia feels a rush of air and she's exposed to the front just as she notices dark brown hair and a green styled tunic and then there are green eyes, the greenest she's ever seen, meeting her own.

Her words die on her throat and for a moment she feels like the air has left her.

His hair is long and dark, pulled back and tied at the base of his neck. A few strands escape from their confines to frame his face. It isn't often Historia sees a distinguished fellow with hair uncut and styled in the common style, but she can't argue that it adds to his appeal. His jaw is strong, nose slender. He's almost too pretty for her to believe, except his shoulders are broad and his posture certain.

And his eyes.

He's only just glanced in her direction but she feels caught by the abrupt intensity of those eyes.

His lips part, and she feels hers mimic his surprise before his eyes blink away. The world is taken elsewhere and Historia is left behind to wonder... 

What just happened?

The music leaps back into action a tense silence later and she feels disjointed when her mother's hand has gathered around her wrist to yank her across the reawakened ballroom.

Frieda follows close behind and Mikasa is behind her. She hears them chatting to themselves, giggling as Mina says something back but Historia is terribly distracted. Her feet feel so cold and yet her heart keeps pounding this intense rhythm against her ribs, she feels faint. All she can feel is the distance between herself and those green eyes shortening as her mother finds her father, stoutly standing to the side and looking exhausted, before dragging him along too.

All of a sudden she feels inadequate. Was her dress too pink? Not pink enough? Goodness her hair must look out of place after all that dancing earlier. Should she snatch up some wine to redden her lips with a sip?

These thoughts prepare her for nothing before they're suddenly standing in front of the new guests and Mr. Dawk.

At least this time, Historia is able to see the other people beside him. In the center stands a dark haired man with dark eyes and a perpetual scowl, looking certainly bored and with eyes that flash once in the direction of Mikasa before assuming another bored gaze. He's dressed finely, dark blue dress suit and trousers tailored exquisitely fine. Historia is certain her mother must be trying to gauge the price of such a set of clothing.

On this gentleman's side stands a pale and blonde haired woman with an expression as equally distanced and unimpressed. Ah, the sister-in-law, Historia supposes. Her dress is a simple blue and navy, matching the cold color of her icy blue eyes. She glances over them as if barely giving them an inch worth her time before gazing back up at the room. She looks so entirely dreary that Frieda's joke hits her all too suddenly and Historia has to bite down on her cheek to keep from laughing.

It's rather jarring seeing the stark difference in attitude from the two beside the green-eyed man who, Historia is now certain of is Mr. Jaeger. Like being in the face of summer before abruptly getting doused in a staunch winter setting.

"Mr. Jaeger, Miss Leonhart," Mr. Dawk says on the man's opposite side, and Historia startles in realizing she'd completely missed him being there since they arrived. "My sister in law you know. May I introduce Mr. Reiss and his wife, Mrs. Reiss, the eldest daughter Miss Frieda Reiss, Miss Mikasa Reiss, and Miss Historia Reiss."

His eyes land on each respective sister, giving pleasant nods to their subtle curtsies before finally landing on hers. Historia tries to soften the grip on her own hands as she sinks down and rises again, unable to look away from him... and the thrill in her blood only sweeps her along when she notices how he doesn't look away either.

"A pleasure," he says and Historia's cheeks flush pink. His voice is warm, pleasant. Somewhere settling in the heaviest parts of a tenor and with a gentle rasp that invites the desire to hear more. She wonders which side of the musical staff does his voice latch on when singing his praises.

He's smiling amicably and her own lips quirk upwards for a moment.

"I have another daughter but she's already dancing," Mrs. Reiss says brightly. "We are delighted to make your acquaintance."

"And may I introduce, Mr. Levi Ackerman of Sina."

The women curtsy again but are only given a stiff nod and no other form of conversation. It is immensely uncomfortable for a moment as they remain quiet, yet Historia is saved from the worst of it when her eyes jump back to Mr. Jaeger.

Just in time to see his jump back toward her. 

Her insides give a little jump and she fights the urge to fan herself for an excuse to do something with her hands. She glances away, unable to stop the smile from pushing at her lips, giddy and nervous all too suddenly.

She doesn't know when but her parents excuse themselves to mingle in the crowd and allow their daughters the painful duty of attempting conversation. 

Frieda mercifully breaks the tension by saying, "So I am told you are staying near Ragako. How have you enjoyed your stay?"

"It's a beautiful country," Mr. Jaeger responds, bright and kind. "The estate belongs to my Uncle. I'm merely a guest there while we help my brother recover."

"How long will you be staying in Ragako?" Historia asks before she can help herself and she nearly steps on herself at Frieda's surprised glance. Mr. Jaeger's eyes land on hers again.

"I have no departure date set," he replies, eyes bouncing a few times between sisters. Though Historia feels oddly hyper aware when she notices the way his eyes linger on her. "Though my good friend, Levi, may insist on setting one."

The gentleman in question merely shoots his friend a dry glare before looking at them. At another pause, Mikasa suddenly does speak then.

"The Library in Ragako I hear is one of the oldest in the country," she says. 

"Yes, well, it shames me to say I haven't tried to see it myself," Mr. Jaeger responds, chin ducking and lips parting in a sheepish smile. It does something to Historia's chest that has her subtly reaching to cling to Frieda's wrist. "I do prefer being out of doors rather than staying in to read."

He glances back at her, suddenly realizing his own words before stammering, "I... not to say I can't read. I can. Read that is."

"I do enjoy a good book but sometimes there are so many other things to do," she finds herself saying, smiling. He seems to lean forward, expression lighting up with appreciation.

"Yes, exactly. Precisely what I was trying to say."

A familiar tune bursts from a violin and cuts through the rabble that has Frieda perking up. 

"Oh this dance is my favorite!" Frieda says, her eyes turning on Historia so bright with mischief, Historia all but jumps away. "What do you say?"

Before Historia could respond Frieda turns to face Mr. Jaeger with a grin. "Do you dance, Mr. Jaeger?"

"Oh!" He exclaims, if a bit caught off guard. "I, yes. I've danced before, though I'm quite poor at it."

"Well, you have the finest luck!" Frieda beams as she motions to her sister. "Historia is quite skilled! I'm sure she'd be happy to show you how to dance this one!"

In an instant, Historia's heart swings into a fierce gallop, blue eyes jumping back and forth between her sister and the curious expression of Mr. Jaeger's. 

"O-oh, I couldn't--" Historia begins before she is cut off.

"May I?" She hears and her heart leaps to her throat and chokes her quiet when she sees him standing just a bit closer, his eyes entirely on hers, glancing nowhere else. "Miss Historia?"

She sees his hand extend in invitation and she worries that she might faint if she doesnt start breathing soon.

"May you...?" She manages to say quite dumbly before he smiles and with that simple tug of his lips, Historia realizes then she has never been more in trouble of falling in love than she has been right now.

"May I have this dance?"

She hears the faint delighted gasp of Mina Carolina before she nods, her hand lifting with a mind of its own to accept his. His skin is warm, yet somehow blessedly dry and a brief moment of panic makes her worry of the sweat that made her palms clammy. Yet, his thumb swipes over her knuckles and her fingers slip into the curve of his own. She finds herself not wanting to let go.

"I'd be delighted," she says, more out of habit than anything, but his eyes twinkle with excitement and before she knows it, they're walking into the crowd to where the dancing is currently starting. 

He lets go of her hand just as they find their places, standing apart but in front of each other. The music motions the crowd to begin, the line of women stepping forward and curtsying. Historia knows these steps by heart, has done them since she was a girl and knows the music well enough she could sing along note for note, but in this moment as Mr. Jaeger reciprocates the steps toward her, his eyes following her curiously, Historia has never felt so nervous to follow the steps correctly.

She thinks she might stumble until they step toward one another again, this time their hands reaching for each other. He holds her fingers in his again, soft and gentle and warm. Each graze causes a spark that jolts into her legs and has her nearly bouncing in her steps and rhythm. 

It's almost too much, how he smiles and follows her eyes as if somehow she were glittering and worthy of being looked at so intently. Historia bites her lip, hoping he doesn't notice the flush spreading over her face as she forces herself to look away and find some distraction in the crowd. 

And yet. 

Every time she glances right back, as they let go, step to the side, hop around partners, and back in front of each other. His eyes are always there to meet hers.

She's never felt this way before... 

And then before she realizes it. The music is over, she's back where she started and Mr. Jaeger is clapping along with everyone as the crowd cheers for a successful dance.

"Well done, Hissy!" She hears Frieda beside her, hand tugging around her wrist and pulling her from her stunned expression and into a bout of warm laughter. "Excellent work you've done!"

Historia blinks up from her to see Mr. Jaeger approaching. 

"That was quite fun!" He says as the crowd takes the time to rest and exault in boisterous energy. Historia doesn't know why but she laughs, feeling lighter than ever before.

"Whoever's told you, you dance poorly has never had the pleasure of doing it," Historia says before she can stop. 

"I had an excellent teacher," he replies, smile tugging crooked and cheeky and Historia returns it eagerly. 

"Well, I hardly did anything!" 

"Forgive me, but I must disagree."

"Well, now I must convince you otherwise," Historia declares.

"You'll find I'm quite stubborn," he says, chuckling.

Historia giggles, "All the more reason to insist!"

And then he laughs and it's rich and light and fills her cheeks with fresh affection. His head angles back as he does, eyes closing in mirth as his chest heaves from it. He's slowly but surely becoming the source of her favorite sounds and that knowledge is so alarming to her that Historia can't help but hopelessly watch as his eyes open again.

"We shall see," he says and there's a twinkle of a challenge in his voice as he says it that makes her want to reach up and do something incredibly ridiculous.

"And I hope we do, Miss Historia."


End file.
